Kathmandu. Industrialists are preparing to hand over the keys to the government en masse after the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) cut off the electricity supply to all the industries that have not paid the dues of dedicated feeders and trunk lines.

The power supply to all 25 industries has been disconnected from time to time. The power supply to 25 industries, including 19 last Friday, was cut off.

After NEA cut the line, the industrialists are now discussing 2 options. Most of the industrialists now want to hand over the keys to the government with the conclusion that they cannot run industries in Nepal. Some industrialists are advising to go to court seeking justice. Some lawyers are also suggesting going to court instead of handing over the keys. It is said that most of them want to hand over the keys rather than going to court.

Raghunanda Maru, president of the Cement Manufacturers’ Association, said that the government is collecting opinions from all the industrialists. According to Maruma, most of the industrialists are saying that they will hand over the keys to the government and a decision will be reached soon after discussing the issue.

According to him, the industrialists have not paid the electricity tariff used by the government. “Now people are realizing that they have not paid electricity bills used by industrialists,” he said, adding, “We have been paying electricity bills every month.” Attempts are being made to collect unconsumed electricity tariff in the name of dedicated feeder and trunk line dues. ’

He claimed that the dispute was created by the authority to collect the electricity bill not given by the NEA. “Now we are trying to extort money from industrialists by saying that we have increased the tariff during load-shedding,” said Maru, adding, “At that time, we have not been given electricity as per the NEA’s instructions.” If it is given, then the bill should be paid according to the electricity used. ’

He said that he is worried that there will be no alternative to handing over the keys of the industry as the government has not been heard from time to time on this issue. “It seems that the government has committed crime by opening industries in the country,” he said, adding, “It is wrong for the state to create controversy in this way.” That’s why most of the industries are planning to hand over the keys to the government. ’

He said that a decision on when and how to hand over the keys to the government will be decided soon.

Out of the 25 industries that did not pay their dues, the power supply to six industries was disconnected on the morning of Laxmi Puja. The power supply to the remaining 19 industries was cut off on Friday evening. The power supply to Jagdamba Steel, Reliance Spinning Mills, Shivam Cement, Ghorahi Cement, Arghakhanchi Cement Industries and Triveni Spinning Mills was cut off on October 19.

The remaining 19 lines were cut on Friday. Reliance Spinning Mills, Nigale Cement Pvt. Ltd. Triveni Synthetic Yarn Industries Pvt. Ltd., Himal Iron and Steel, Triveni Spinning Mills, Jagdamba Steel Pvt. Ltd. Everest Paper Mill, Cosmos Cement Factory, Sonapur Mineral and Oil Pvt Ltd, Ghorahi Cement Industry, Arghakhanchi Cement Industries, Bishal Cement Industries, Everest Rolling Mills, Jagdamba Synthetic, SR Foods and Gharana Foods are among those whose supply chains have been cut off.

Siddhartha Petplast, Goenka Foods, Rupandehi, Bhalwari Automatic Factory, Shyam Plastic Industries, Shree Panchakanya Plastic Industries, Panchakanya Steel Industries, S. R. The power supply of Butwal Cement has been cut off by Steel Industries.

The NEA had issued a notice to the consumers who have taken electricity supply from dedicated feeders and truck lines to pay the outstanding electricity tariff within 21 days as per the decision of the board of directors of NEA on September 26. The deadline taken by the authority had expired on October 2.

Manoj Silwal, managing director of NEA, has said that he is determined to pay the dues as per the law. He had been saying that the power of all the industrialists who did not pay the dues would be cut as they had to move ahead as per the decision of the government.

This arrears are for additional charges for the use of dedicated and trunk lines from January 2015 to April 2075.